


Nightlife

by orphan_account



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, pricefield
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-04-13 09:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4516242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from <a>mickevoli</a>.   AU where Max's car breaks down on the drive home for winter break. But the only thing that's open is a sex shop...with one employee.<br/>-----<br/>“So, what’s your type? Hot male doctor or sexy female nurse?” Chloe asked mockingly, holding up two DVDs.</p>
<p><i>You’re my type.</i><br/>-----</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so this prompt came from mickevoli's wimpy gay dog loving ass lollll
> 
> I hope you guys like this lmao for I have s i n n e d

_Fuck._

Max twisted the key in the ignition again, only to hear the dying sputtering and groans from the engine.

Letting out an exasperated huff, Max sat back in the seat, placing a hand to her temple. This was  _not_  how she'd wanted to start her winter break. First, she was pretty sure she'd failed her chemistry exam. Second, she was not in the mood for her goddamn, piece of shit car to die on her.

Third, she was definitely not equipped to be stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Wrapping her thin jacket closely around her, Max shivered as she looked out at the forest trees looming over the road, their shadows becoming darker and longer as the sun set in the distance. Ahead, she could make out a few small lights from a cluster of buildings, and behind her was nothing but the long stretch of winding road.

_Okay, two options. Stay in the car and possibly freeze to death, or pull a Cabin in the Woods and try and find shelter up ahead._

And looking up at the steel-gray clouds overhead, if it snowed, then she'd  _really_  be fucked. Putting her face in her hands, Max breathed in and out through her nose as she pulled herself together.

_So...die, or die, Max?_

As depressing as that thought was, Max grabbed her bag from the passenger seat before opening the door and getting out.

Along the walk to the small town further up ahead, Max called her parents and let them know where she was. Though she was too far from home to get a ride from her parents, they reassured her that the town she was in was relatively safe - hell, the entire town was the one street she was heading towards now.

After she hung up, she managed to make it to the main street; glancing at all the darkened windows and closed doors, however, it seemed like the townspeople had closed up shop for the evening already.

_Damn it._  Darkness was quickly settling in, and the cold was starting to bite at her through her thin jacket - if she didn't find a place to take shelter in soon, she'd freeze.

Hurrying along the street, Max was relieved to find the lights on in one small corner shop - a bright neon 'OPEN' sign hung by the main window, and Max didn't stop to think as she dashed forward, throwing the door open and breathing a sigh of relief as the warmth from inside washed over her face.

And it was only when the door shut behind her that Max realized where she was.

"Hi, welcome to Frisky Business, where you're the coming attraction," a voice drawled in a bored tone from the counter in the back.

_Oh, my god, I'm in a -_

The girl at the counter looked up and put her phone down when Max didn't respond, and her mouth dropped open into a perfect 'o'.

Max just stared back, too afraid to tear her gaze away and look at the array of lewd objects and sex toys hanging on the walls and sitting on the display tables.

"Uh, hey, you okay there?" the girl asked; she stood up straight, putting her hands in the front pocket of her oversized sweatshirt ('YES HOMO' blatantly emblazoned on its front) before walking around the counter and heading towards Max.

Max's face was burning with the intensity of a thousand suns, and her entire body felt rooted to the ground as she stupidly stood there like a deer in headlights.

The girl came to stand in front of her, eyebrows raised as she blew a bubble with her gum, and Max summoned what remaining brainpower she had to silently thank and curse whatever higher power that had led her here.

"Hello? You okay there?" she asked again.

"I'm, uh, I'm," Max stammered, trying to find her voice - up close, Max noticed the girl's name tag crookedly pinned on her chest.  _Chloe_.

And then Max's eyes darted up to Chloe's face.

The only thing her brain could numbly register was ' _wow. she's pretty._ '

"You're…?" Chloe trailed off, resuming chewing on her gum. She reached a hand up to adjust the beanie on top of her blue hair before tilting her head to the side, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she awaited Max's answer.

Tearing her gaze to the floor, Max swallowed, trying to put back the pieces of her sanity and conscience as she hastily threw together a response. If the sex shop had thrown her off balance, Chloe's face was the equivalent of being flung into the heavens. Repeatedly.

"I, uh, my car broke down a little bit down the street, I was wondering if there were any places nearby where I could stay the night?" she rambled, thrusting her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she did her best to maintain her composure.

"Oh, yeah," Chloe said nonchalantly. "The nearest motel is like a five mile walk up north."

_Shit_.

"But," Chloe said, and the of hint of hesitation in her voice caused Max to look up. "I mean, we're open 24/7, so you could just chill here until the repair shop opens."

Max considered Chloe's proposition. It's not like she'd never pulled an allnighter before. And Chloe was  _really_  pretty…

"Would...would you mind if I just chilled here?" Max asked. A beat later, she added, "Oh, and I'm Max."

"Chloe. Yeah, I don't mind. Not a lot of people come here anyway, so it's nice to have some company," Chloe smiled, giving a shrug before blowing and popping another bubble.

"Thank you," Max said, grateful for Chloe's kindness.

But it wasn't until Chloe returned behind the counter and Max was standing awkwardly in front of it that she realized she hadn't thought this through. And neither had Chloe.

"You know, if you wanna sit down, you could try out our...lounge chairs and stuff," Chloe said, pointing to one wall, where sloped and curved chaise chairs lined its length.

Maybe Max would've considered sitting down on one if it weren't for the fact that above each piece of furniture hung a poster displaying what position was most popular on each.

She could feel her face on fire - again - as she turned to see Chloe smirking, biting the corner of her lip.

_God, that's really hot. But...She's playing with me. Okay, fine. Two can play at that game._

"Sure you wouldn't want to join me?" Max asked nonchalantly, leaning against the counter and watching with satisfaction as Chloe fumbled a response, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"I'm not  _that_  innocent, Chloe," Max said, rolling her eyes. "Nobody gets through college unscathed."

"Oooh. So you're a college kid," Chloe managed to say, reaching up and taking out her gum before tossing it into a trash can behind her.

"Yeah. I  _was_  trying to get home for the break," Max sighed, idly tracing patterns along the black surface of the counter.

"But then your car decided to fuck itself," Chloe finished. "I'm sorry that happened."

"It could be worse."

"Doesn't mean it still doesn't suck," Chloe said. "Here. If you really want to sit down, there's a stool next to me over here." She gestured for Max to join her behind the counter, shifting slightly as Max came around and sat down.

"Thanks," Max said, looking up to see Chloe pull herself up to sit on the counter, her legs dangling off the side.

"So, what are you studying?" Chloe asked inquisitively, leaning back on her hands.

"Not really sure yet, actually," Max replied, crossing her arms on the counter before placing her head on them. "Honestly, I don't really know what I wanna do."

"I get that," Chloe said, a hint of bitterness to her voice. "But at least you're in school. I'm stuck in this fuck shop."

"And this place is open 24/7?"

"Yeah, and I got stuck with the night shift tonight," Chloe huffed. "This is usually primetime for sleazy scumbags to come in and rent out the super unrealistic porn."

Max felt something twist in her stomach when she thought of the idea of Chloe having to interact with a bunch of jerks and fuckwads. She didn't doubt some of them would try to make a move too...

"I'm sorry you have to deal with those creeps. I've met my fair share," Max muttered, glaring ahead at the shelves of DVDs and movies that lined the center of the store.

"But...not everyone who comes in is that bad," Chloe continued. "I mean, some of my potential customers are pretty cute, if you know what I mean."

Max glanced up to see Chloe with a shit-eating grin across her face, but before she could say anything, the door at the front opened, and Max shivered as a cold gust of wind blew back towards them.

Chloe looked at Max for a moment before she fluidly took off her sweatshirt, handing it to Max before sliding off the counter and turning to face the newcomer.

A young, scruffy-looking man stood at the door, clad in several layers of knitted sweaters. He and Chloe shared a nod before he shuffled forward, closing the door behind him.

"'Sup, Trevor."

"'Sup, Chloe," was Trevor's response. "I came by to say thanks for taking my shift. Got some hot chocolate for ya." He came forward and tossed Chloe a thermos.

As Trevor and Chloe had a brief conversation, Max sat up straight, holding Chloe's sweatshirt in her hands. It was worn with age, of course, but the few seconds that the door had been open had been enough for the room temperature to lower a few degrees. And her jacket wasn't really the best at keeping her warm…

Max put the sweatshirt on, pushing up the long sleeves a little before bringing the collar up to cover her face as Trevor headed back outside again. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, noticing how Chloe's sweatshirt smelled of smoke - like a bonfire - and some earthy tones, like pines or the woods after a day of rain…

In a daze, she slowly opened her eyes and lowered the collar, only to glance to her right to see Chloe staring.

Blushing furiously, Max stammered, "Um, uh, sorry - "

"It's...no worries," Chloe said slowly, blinking. "Anyway, since you're cold and shit, you wanna, you know," Chloe said, slightly red in the face as she waved the thermos in her hand. "Share some hot chocolate?"

"I'd love some," Max said, taking a deep breath and pulling herself together.  _Talk about embarrassing._

"But are you sure you're allowed to do that with your 'potential' customers?" Max asked wryly as she watched Chloe open the thermos and pour the hot chocolate into the lid.

"Only the cute ones," Chloe said, winking as she handed the lid to Max.

Rolling her eyes, Max gratefully took the lid in her hands, comforted by the warmth that radiated from the drink within.

"But of course, I wouldn't mind you becoming a regular, either. I mean, I wouldn't judge," Chloe said as Max raised the drink to her lips, wondering if the heat on her cheeks was from the steam that rose up from the cup or if it was just Chloe's smooth talking.

"Wouldn't that mean I'd have to buy something?" Max asked before taking a sip of the hot drink, tasting the scalding hot chocolate on the tip of her tongue. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve before placing the lid on the counter, where Chloe quickly picked it up and took a sip as well.

"Well, anything here suit your tastes?" Chloe asked, handing the drink back to Max and raising her arm before gesturing to the entirety of the store like a proud spokesman. "I'm only here to help and serve, Miss Max."

"Well, what are  _you_  into?" Max shot back, catching Chloe off-guard.

"I'm - I'm not gonna, I can't tell customers about my sex life," Chloe scoffed, crossing her arms as Max blew a little bit on the drink, trying to cool it.

"Then I can't tell you about mine," Max teased, a smug grin on her face.

"Says the girl wearing a 'YES HOMO' sweatshirt," Chloe muttered, to which Max indignantly cried, "It's  _your_  sweatshirt, asswipe - "

Their banter continued, and the time passed them by until they finished the entire thermos of hot chocolate, leaving it empty on the counter as the two walked around the store.

"So, what's your type? Hot male doctor or sexy female nurse?" Chloe asked mockingly, holding up two DVDs.

_You're my type_.

"Well, I guess you could say both," Max said, unfazed. "But I'm more into skaters. How about you?"

Chloe shoved the DVDs back onto the shelf, looking thoughtful for a moment. "I longboard, you know, in the summer," she said, glancing at Max, a hint of hesitation in her voice.

"So longboards are your type, Chloe?"

"No, I mean, I just, ugh," Chloe huffed, and Max burst out laughing, reaching out and grabbing Chloe's hand before tugging her along to look at more things.

Despite only meeting hours earlier, Max enjoyed the time she was spending with Chloe - their conversations flowed as smooth as water, and Max found herself wishing for more time for the two of them.

But her own body began to betray her, and after she yawned for the fifth time in a minute, Chloe squeezed her hand, putting back the gigantic dildo they'd both been laughing at back onto its place on the shelf.

"Hey, dude, if you're tired, you can crash on the bed in the back," Chloe said, gently guiding Max back towards the counter.

"Bed in the back? Don't tell me you actually let people fuck here," Max said pointedly, trying to repress another yawn as she placed her hand over her mouth.

"Dude, never."

Chloe pulled aside a curtain behind the counter, and the two stood in the entryway as Max stared at the bed. A bed hooked up with several straps, handcuffs, and harnesses.  _Bondage galore._

"Chloe," Max said slowly, "Are you serious."

"Okay, look, it's just for trying things out. I can take away the bondage shit and then it'll be a totally normal bed," Chloe offered. "No one's fucked in it, I swear - "

Max had already turned and sat back on her stool, crossing her arms on the counter and laying her head down. "I'd rather not wake up handcuffed, thanks," she murmured.  _And I'd rather not leave you alone out here…_

"Max, you can't just - "

"Chloe, I've slept in a library more times than you think I have," Max mumbled, already feeling the weariness of sleep tugging at her eyelids. "I'll be fine…"

Though Chloe continued protesting, Max just closed her eyes, and she began to feel herself drift, dreaming of a punk with blue hair…

* * *

 

Max blearily awoke a little later, and she blinked for a moment, trying to gain her surroundings - she looked up to see Chloe's face, and something dimly registered in her mind that she was in Chloe's arms…

The soft surface of a mattress came into contact with her back, and Max squinted in the dimness of the room, where she saw a large pile of discarded handcuffs and straps lying in a corner.

"Chloe…?" Max mumbled.

"I got rid of all the stuff, Max. Just sleep," Chloe said, sounding far off as Max began to fall back into the arms of sleep and dreams, comforted by the presence of her newfound friend.

* * *

 

Max awoke the next morning to the sound of soft voices just past the curtain, and she sat up in bed, noticing a thick, homemade quilt covering her body.

"Hey, uh, could you give Max the discount for me? Just, like, don't let her know," she heard Chloe's muffled voice say from outside.

"Ooh, damn, Chloe. You have the hots for this chick?" said a light-hearted male voice.

A sharp ' _Ow!'_  came shortly before Chloe said something else, too indistinguishable for Max to hear out clearly.

"Anyway, thanks, Justin. I owe you one."

"Heh, no probs. Where's the girl? We can go tow her car now."

"She's probably still sleeping. I'll go see and wake her up."

Max immediately threw herself back down on the bed, wrapping the blanket up around herself, noticing how it smelled just like Chloe...

The curtain opened, letting in some light into the room, and Max squinted in the brightness, raising a hand to shield her eyes as Chloe came close to her side.

"Hey, you sleep okay?" Chloe asked softly.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry for totally passing out on you," Max said, regretful of the fact that she'd probably left Chloe alone and bored at the counter.

"It's cool. You still have to drive and stuff today, anyway."

"Thank you, Chloe," Max said, trying to imbue as much gratefulness in her voice as possible - but Chloe just shook her head, holding up Max's bag.

"It's no problem."

Holding the quilt in her arms, Max headed back out to the front of the store with Chloe, where she met another young man sporting a red cap underneath a frizzled batch of blonde hair.

"Hey, Chloe called me up. I can help you get your car back on the road," he grinned, pointing a thumb back out the door, where a tow truck awaited.

Max glanced at Chloe, who shot a look at Justin - who immediately said, "I'll go, uh, wait in the truck while you get your stuff," and he sauntered out of the store, closing the door behind him.

Now that the morning was upon them, Max cursed herself for passing out. She wanted to spend more time with Chloe…

"Thank you, though, really," Max repeated, handing the quilt back to Chloe, who flung it over her shoulder, looking anywhere but at Max.

"It's nothing. And the quilt's from my truck, so, you know, it's not fucked with or anything," Chloe said, reaching a hand up to rub the back of her neck.

The two stood there for another moment, neither willing to say goodbye; Max glanced down, tugging anxiously at the end of her sweatshirt when she remembered something.

"Oh, sorry, I totally wore your sweatshirt the whole night," she breathed, about to take it off - but Chloe's hands suddenly covered her own.

"Hey, don't sweat it. Keep it, you big homo," Chloe chuckled, but Max could see that the bravado in her expression didn't quite meet her eyes.

"I'll come back and bring this back to you, I promise," Max began, but Chloe just tilted her head and gave a sad smile.

"If you come visit me again, I hope you buy something next time," Chloe said lightly, holding open the door for Max.

"You know, maybe I'll do it if the right person's there with me," Max said cheekily, and she felt a sense of satisfaction as she saw Chloe's eyes widen with surprise, her mouth parted slightly as she stared at Max's smug expression.

"Bye, Chloe." Max stood on her toes and gave Chloe a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out to join Justin.

"Bye, Max," Chloe murmured, and as Max got in Justin's truck and shut the door, she looked up to see Chloe standing in the doorway in a daze, one hand held up against her cheek.

* * *

 

It was only after she'd gotten back home, greeted her parents, gone out to dinner with her grandparents, and returned back home that she realized she'd been wearing Chloe's 'YES HOMO' sweatshirt the entire time - and though she was mortified by this, she now understood why the older generations kept asking her if she'd met anyone at college.

Though she told them the truth, no, she hadn't met anyone, she did mention she had met  _someone_...someone she hoped to see again soon, she thought as she brought the collar of the sweatshirt up to her nose again, inhaling the scent of the forest and the trees.


	2. Playlists

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for explosionshark, opheliamarina, and tippytypewriter for beta'ing! I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVEN'T POSTED IN SO LONG SORRY FOR WRITING STYLE DISCREPANCIES

Letting out an irritated huff, Chloe put her phone down, chin balanced on her hand as she sulked and moped about by the counter.

First, working at this godforsaken sex shop on Christmas Eve was definitely not something she wanted to do.

Second, getting scheduled to work the morning shift sucked ass because Chloe  _hated_  waking up early.  _Who the fuck wants to jack off to cheap porn at 10 AM anyway_...

Third, her thoughts still drifted back to the girl who'd suddenly appeared in her life a week ago…and then left just as abruptly, making Chloe regret that she'd never asked Max for her number.

Straightening up and crossing her arms, Chloe glared at the surface of the counter, trying to bore a hole in it with her imaginary heat vision. Left with nothing better to do, bitterness and resentment churned in her gut, leaving Chloe with a sour taste in her mouth as she tried not to think about her missed chance with one of the cutest girls she'd met in a while…

Just when Chloe was about to go and start punching some of the lounge chairs to let out some of the negativity burning in her soul, the door opened - and Chloe glanced up before her mouth dropped open in surprise and shock.

" _Max?"_

Max lowered the scarf around her mouth with one hand, the other gripping a gift-wrapped box. A bright smile came to her face as she stood a foot away, her cheeks and nose slightly red from the winter cold outside.

Chloe's heart did a little leap as she recognized her - no, Max's - 'YES HOMO' sweatshirt.  _She's wearing...my sweatshirt._

"Hi, Chloe," Max said, breathless, her pale hands shaking slightly as she offered the gift to Chloe. "I told you I'd come back."

Chloe just stood there, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend that Max actually  _came back_. For her.

"Since you gave me your sweatshirt, I thought I'd get you a gift too. And, you know, it's Christmas," Max said, slightly bashful as she held the gift up, not meeting Chloe's eye.

"You...you came back," Chloe said slowly, her mind far away as her body remained rooted on the spot. "And...you got me a Christmas gift."

"Yeah, it's - I hope you like it," Max said, turning to look at Chloe standing immobile in front of her, staring wide-eyed at the gift in her hands. "Chloe?" Max asked, a hint of concern in her voice as she took a step closer to look up into Chloe's bewildered face.

Without a word, Chloe swallowed, and with trembling hands, took the gift and began to delicately unwrap it, her mind in a daze.  _I...can't believe she actually...did this…_

Chloe uncovered a plain, nondescript box, and she opened it to reveal a navy sweatshirt. Tossing the box onto the ground, Chloe held the sweatshirt in front of her, speechless.

"I mean, you got me a 'YES HOMO' sweatshirt, so I thought I'd do the same thing," Max stammered, moving to stand next to Chloe as the two of them took in Max's gift in all its glory.

'HO HO HOMO' was boldly emblazoned in white on the front, the words framed by white lines and diamonds in typical Christmas sweater fashion.

Chloe didn't say anything for several moments, a lump in her throat.

"Do...do you like it? I mean, if you don't like it, I have the gift receipt if you wanna get something cooler and less stupid," Max stammered - but Chloe just whipped off her blazer, tossing it behind her as she threw on her new sweatshirt; as the fabric passed over face, she inhaled the scent of vanilla and hazelnut…

As she slowly pulled the collar down over her head, Chloe glanced to her left to see Max looking up at her, her expression nonplussed at Chloe's sudden need to wear her new gift.

"I love it, Max. Thank you," Chloe whispered; no one had gone this far to do something like this for her...

"I'm glad you like it," Max breathed, relieved as she pressed a hand to her heart for a moment. "Now we match," she said lightly, tugging down at her own sweatshirt.

"Yeah, now we're both homos," Chloe chuckled, still riding the high of amazement that Max had returned with the most fitting gift.

Max playfully punched Chloe on the arm, turning around and picking up the discarded box and wrapping paper, leaving Chloe to pick up her blazer. The two of them returned to their usual place by the counter, Max on the stool and Chloe sitting atop the counter's surface.

"I'm surprised you have to work on Christmas Eve," Max said, rolling up the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

"Yeah, boss is an ass," Chloe muttered. "But, uh, how long are you…?"

Max answered, "I'm here all day. I drove my parents' car down, so I won't be stranded here overnight again."

All day…Did that mean...

"I...thought it'd be cool to hang out again," Max added softly.

Chloe turned away for a brief moment, swallowing.  _There's no fucking way I'm passing up a chance like this_. A sudden flame burning in her heart, an idea came to her mind and Chloe quickly whipped out her phone.

"We're gonna hang out, Max, I promise," Chloe said firmly, thumb flying over the screen as she quickly typed out a text.

**Chloe:**   _trev, cover my shift today_

**Trevor:**   _dude its christmas, no way_

**Chloe:**   _trev cmon, i covered for u wen u went on that date with dana, cover me while i go on a date_

**Trevor:**   _date with that chick justin told me abt_

**Chloe:**   _yes now hurry up and get here_

**Trevor:**   _ok ok be there in 5_

"Chloe…?" Max asked tentatively.

"My friend's coming to cover my shift, then we can go hang out," Chloe said, pocketing her phone. "You came here to visit me. I'm not gonna let you hang out with dildos and blow-up sex dolls on Christmas," she finished, determined and intent on making sure Max had the best Christmas Eve of her life.

"I don't mind - "

"Max, you came all the way here to come hang out. We're  _not_  hanging out here. I can show you 'round town anyway."

Trevor showed up soon enough, panting slightly as he shoved open the door to the shop.

"'Sup, Chloe," he huffed, and Chloe grinned, grabbing Max's hand and tugging her out the door, where the biting winter chill immediately nipped at their faces.

"Thanks, Trevor!" Chloe called out behind her. Trevor gave a wave in response.

"Where are we going, Chloe?" Max asked as the two of them walked into the parking lot nearby.

"Uh, I dunno, but let's figure that out when we're not freezing our asses off outside. It's hella cold out here," Chloe panted, bouncing with energy and excitement.  _Max is here._

As the two of them got inside the cab of Chloe's truck, Chloe quickly fired up the engine, and the two breathed a sigh of relief as warm air came through the air vents.

Suddenly remembering where they were, Chloe glanced at the shit state of the cab; thrown-away burger wrappers littered the floor, along with discarded parking tickets and other pieces of trash. Then there was the worn and frayed state of the leather seats..

Swallowing, Chloe mentally punched herself for her usual mindlessness. She did  _not_  want Max's first impression of her to be of how she drove around in a pigsty.

_Gotta...gotta find something to do before Max notices all this shit -_

"Hey, let's get some music going." She reached forward and turned on the car stereo, feeling the beginning swells of pride in her chest;  _music to set the mood_.  _Nice._

What Chloe had forgotten was that, on the drives to her shitty job, she got pumped up by listening to one of her favorite playlists. A playlist that Chloe only realized, as the music began blaring through the speakers, was terribly inappropriate for a first date.

The first thing that came through the speakers was, " _Sexy woman, take me to your bedroom_  - "

" _Oh_ , shit," Chloe breathed, "Uh, shit, sorry, I - " Chloe punched the button for the next song, but only came to feel more horror, her heart pounding loudly in her chest as the lyrics blared on the speakers.

" _Follow desire, a chained up slave - "_

_Oh my god, fuck, fuck, shit, Max is gonna think_ -

"Uh, wrong song, um, shit," Chloe rambled, hand shaking as she pressed next again.

It'd only been two minutes into their date and already Chloe felt like everything was going to hell as the next song came on.  _Please, please be a good song -_

" _I don't want anybody else, when I think about you I touch myself - "_

" _Okay,_ uh, never mind, fuck music," Chloe blurted, almost breaking the stereo with her fist as she slammed the eject button - the CD popped out, leaving the cab strangely silent as Chloe kept her eyes fixed on the stereo, her face burning with the intensity of a thousand suns as she tried not to look at Max.

"S-sorry, I swear, I just, I just want to get pumped up about work, I don't like," Chloe babbled, hands shaking as she tightly gripped the end of her sweater, not meeting Max's eye. "We can just, take your car instead, I swear, I'm not like a sex addict - "

When Max didn't say anything, Chloe, terror building up in her chest, gathered the strength to glance at Max - who was leaning back in her seat, an amused smile on her face.

"What?" Chloe said apprehensively.

"That second song was Dan Black, wasn't it?"

Thrown off-guard, Chloe swallowed, then nodded. "Yeah...how…?"

Rolling her eyes, Max replied, "Chloe, I told you I'm not  _that_  innocent. And I've been to college parties before, trust me."

"Then...you don't think I'm some sex addict?"

Max burst out laughing. "No, Chloe, I think you just have an interesting taste in music."

Suddenly, Chloe got an idea. "Hey - I know this old music shop nearby, old vinyls and CDs and shit. We can go there, and you can...tell me what kind of music you like?" Chloe asked tentatively.

Max smiled. "That sounds great."

* * *

 

As the two of them entered the small store lined with short shelves filled with discs and vinyls, Max tugged on Chloe's sleeve, holding up an earbud.

Turning with a questioning look, Chloe just raised an eyebrow in response.

"You wanted to know what music I listen to, right?" Max asked. "We can listen to my iPod while we look around."

Chloe nodded, wondering if Max knew that sharing earphones meant they'd have to stay close to each other as she placed the earbud in her ear.

As the two of them roamed the aisles, Chloe commented on Max's songs.

"Alt-J?" she asked.

" _Something Good_  is something that I like waking up to," Max said mildly, picking up a CD and glancing at its back.

"You know,  _you'd_  be something good to wake up to," Chloe said, grinning as Max turned to her with raised eyebrows.

"Thanks, nymphomaniac," Max said, bursting out laughing at Chloe's indignant sputtering.

Hanging out with Max again was like before - their conversations flowed so naturally and smoothly, as if the two had been close in another lifetime. It wasn't long until Chloe slid her hand next to Max's, her heart leaping in her chest when Max's fingers intertwined between her own.

"I've never heard of this song before," Chloe said, reaching up to adjust the earbud in her ear as the two of them stood in front of a shelf of old vinyls in worn covers. The steady strum of a guitar played in her ear as Chloe's thoughts drifted to getting Max a CD... _But what should I get her?_

"Crosses, by Jose Gonzalez," Max replied, turning and tugging Chloe to another shelf. "His songs are pretty cool - I taught myself a few of the chords to this a few months ago."

"You play guitar?"

"Yeah, I love learning to play the songs that I like a lot," Max said; her expression brightened as she excitedly pulled out a CD, and Chloe leaned in to get a better look.

Max continued in an eager voice, "Like this one - Motopony's songs are so good, Chloe - "

As Max gushed on about how  _God Damn Girl_  was one of her favorite songs, Chloe found herself barely listening as she noticed how  _bright_  Max looked, almost radiating with a light made of joy and energy (or maybe it was just the afternoon sun outside the window, casting a bright white glow on her face) that made Chloe's thoughts and worries disappear for a moment…

" - get you this, so you can listen to it in your truck!" Max finished, tugging on Chloe's hand for a response.

"...W-what?" Chloe said, blinking.

"I'll buy you Motopony's album," Max repeated, already guiding Chloe to the cashier. "You can listen to this instead of your sex playlist."

"W-w-wait, hold on," Chloe protested, stopping in her tracks and pulling Max to a stop with her. "If you get me something, I have to get you something back!"

Without waiting for a response, Chloe let go of Max's hand and began speeding down the aisles of shelves, mind in hyperdrive as she tried to remember -  _what's a good album?_

As she mentally flipped through favorite playlists, Chloe began darting from shelf to shelf, frantically shuffling through CD cases.  _Can't remember anything, goddamnit...Wait. Goddamnit!_   _Nice!_

Whipping around, Chloe sped back to Max, who stood there, bemused at Chloe's whirlwind movements.  _It should be - right here - !_

Shoving her hand forward and whipping the CD out of the shelf next to Max, Chloe skidded to a halt, panting and grinning.

" _Goddamnit_ , by Alkaline Trio," Chloe said breathlessly, holding the CD up. "Sick beats, you'll totally love these."

Momentarily perplexed, Max opened her mouth to say something, but then shut it and shook her head, turning away and hiding her face in the fabric of her scarf. Right on her heels, Chloe followed close behind, wondering if she'd just imagined the blush on Max's face…

As the two of them approached the lone cashier, Chloe gave a nod as a greeting.

"'Sup, Kae," Chloe said, sliding her CD on the counter.

"'Yo, Chloe," Kae replied, reaching up and adjusting the red, white, and gold beanie on her head. "Aw, nice. Alkaline Trio. Sick."

Chloe immediately turned to Max, gesturing at Kae with an expression that said,  _See? Told you so!_

Max rolled her eyes in response as Kae finished ringing up Chloe; as Max offered up her album, though, Kae became slightly more animated. " _Motopony?_   _Nice._ You two have great taste in music."

"Thanks," the two said in unison; Max gave an amused smile as Chloe burst out laughing, slinging an arm around Max's shoulders.

"Anyway, catch you later, Kae," Chloe said, turning and guiding Max towards the front door.

"See you."

Before they opened the door and exposed themselves to the winter chill, they put the CD cases in Max's bag; they took a moment to bundle themselves up, but Chloe again looked down to see Max tugging on her sleeve.

"Yeah?"

"We...It's hella cold outside, so here," Max said, slightly pink in the face as she offered up part of her scarf. "Your face'll freeze off, so let's share my scarf."

Chloe had to stop herself from agreeing too quickly, but in the end, as she stood close to Max and bundled her part of the scarf around her mouth and nose, she inhaled again - and that familiar scent of vanilla and hazelnut came to her, just like before. It reminded her of the aroma that washed over her when she entered a coffee shop, a warm, comforting smell that reminded her of hot chocolate by the fire…

Pulling herself out of her reverie before she went too far, Chloe nodded at Max, and the two headed back outside.

They'd only taken five steps out when Chloe abruptly felt Max's hand on her sleeve. Turning her head to ask what was wrong, Chloe suddenly saw things happen in slow motion.

Max, falling backward, one foot slipping upward from the sheet of ice on the ground.

Max, her hand tightening into a death grip on Chloe's arm.

Max, her face turning from worry to panic.

Chloe reacted instinctively - she twisted and threw her arms out, catching Max just as she lost her footing on the icy ground.

Suddenly, Chloe found herself gazing down at Max, the both of them breathing hard, their breaths forming small white wisps in the air - she couldn't tell if the pounding in her heart was from the adrenaline or if it was from the way Max looked at her, the way Max's hands so tightly gripped onto her, the way their faces were so close, just inches apart -

"Th-thanks," Max stammered, red in the face, and Chloe blinked, pulled back to reality.

"Yeah, yeah, you okay?" Chloe asked, clearing her mind as she helped Max get back onto her feet.

"Yeah, shit, that was close," Max breathed, pressing a hand over her heart and leaning on Chloe for a support. "Thanks."

"No problem," Chloe said, reaching up and adjusting the scarf wrapped around them both. "Good thing I was close, right?"

"Yeah, definitely."

As the two of them got back into the cab of Chloe's truck, Max made herself busy with getting Chloe's new  _Motopony_  album in the car stereo while Chloe thought of another place to go. That icy scare definitely reminded her of somewhere else…

* * *

 

"I thought most places were closed on Christmas Eve," Max said as the two of them got out of Chloe's truck, parked in a empty lot in front of a plain, nondescript building. A large sign by the main road called the place ' _Arcadia Ice Rink.'_

"Yeah, that's true," Chloe replied in a nonchalant tone as the two of them headed towards the building. " _But_ , as former employee of the Stink Rink, I know how to get in. And, uh, how against are you to breaking and entering?" Chloe added, glancing at Max.

"Breaking and entering for a first date, Chloe?" Max asked wryly.

Giving a shit-eating grin, Chloe responded in a sly tone, "Well, I mean, I thought it'd be good way to  _break the ice_."

Knowing that she'd done her job when Max gave a pained groan, Chloe turned and gestured for Max to follow her to a plain side door.

"Employee door is usually open," she said in response to Max's questioning the look.

"What if we get busted, Chloe?" Max asked, but nonetheless following Chloe inside.

As Chloe used the light of her phone to find the light switches on the wall, she huffed, "Max, the door's literally open. They can't just arrest us for like,  _entering_. And -  _there._ "

The two of them stood among shelves of worn skates, their blades shining silver against the old leather and grumpy laces, their ends crossing through the eyelets. Ahead stood a counter, its top scratched from years of use; just beyond it, Max could see lights flickering on further up on the ceiling, casting a fluorescent white glow on the ice rink below. Not exactly as pretty as the sun's morning light on fresh, smooth snow, but Max had to admit that there was a much better view grinning at her right now.

"Besides, I think you should just  _chill out_  about this," Chloe said, grabbing a pair of skates and gesturing for Max to do the same.

"I am seriously going to leave if you keep that up," Max said, but she pulled down a pair of her own and followed Chloe around the counter and towards the rink.

"I'm gonna go check out if the zamboni I crashed into a wall is still busted," Chloe said. "I'll be on the rink in a second." She opened another door and headed into the room within while Max sat on a bench and put on her skates.

"You're gonna have to tell me the story of how you crashed the zamboni," Max called out.

"Boss didn't want me driving it. I didn't see a reason why not," Chloe answered back, using the light of her phone to find the light switch.  _Nice. There's the sound controls._

"Lemme guess. You took it for a spin," Max's voice sounded a little further away, and Chloe heard the sharp staccato sound of metal hitting ice.

"And I had no idea how to drive it, yeah," Chloe said, hooking up her phone to the wizened computer graying on the table.

Max's laughter from the outside floated towards Chloe. "So this giant hole in the wall is you?"

"I call it modern art," Chloe said, scrolling through her phone.  _Have to find the perfect song._  "You know, 'Hole in the Wall', Chloe Price, medium, zamboni."

Chloe could almost hear Max's eyeroll. "It's really beautiful, Chloe."

Under her breath, Chloe said, "Just like you." She paused for a second, made sure the right song was about to play, and then made her way out just as sounds of a guitar strummed through the speakers.

" _Wise men say…_ "

"Really, Chloe?" Max called out to her, skating to a halt as her laughter joined the music in the air.

" _Only fools rush in_ ," Chloe said, shoving on her skates and wobbling out to the rink - almost slipping in her haste to get to Max.

"Now you're going to serenade me? You really know how to flatter a girl," Max said, shaking her head, but smiling, her face so soft and happy that Chloe had to stare and wonder at how fate had brought them together.

"I prefer being in duets," Chloe said, gliding over to Max and skating a tight circle around her, grinning. She nudged Max's arm with her elbow. "You don't think Fleet Foxes is  _cool?_ "

Max rolled her eyes again, but when she started to sing, so did Chloe's heart.

" _Like a river flows, surely to the sea..._ "

" _Darling, so it goes_ ," Chloe continued, and Max skated forward a little, shaking her head but keeping the smile on her face all the same.

" _Some things are meant to be_ ," Max sang, in a voice as light as the lyrics, and she held out her hand just as Chloe held out hers.

" _Take my hand_." The two became a duet, with Chloe skating backward and tugging Max along with her. " _Take my whole life too._ "

Chloe couldn't tell if it was from how close together they were or if it was from the cold chill from the rink, but the red blooming across Max's face reminded her of spring flowers, bright and colorful and lively, a sign of an awakening soon to be.

" _For I can't help falling in love with you_."

Chloe twirled Max around, and then Max led them both, her fingers interlacing between Chloe's as they skated past the hole in the wall, seeing only each other as the sounds of chords and strings bound them together, notes and lyrics resonating with truth as the poetry left their lips.

" _Like a river flows_ ," Max started.

" _Surely to the sea_ ," Chloe continued, thoughts playing through her mind of what a future of singing-or being-together might look like.

" _Darling, so it goes-"_

" _Some things, are meant to be."_

Max slowly brought them to a standstill, and Chloe glided closer, leaning her head forward until their foreheads touched.

" _Take my hand,_ " she said softly, reaching out and holding Max's other hand, heart leaping in her chest when Max's hand was warm in her own.

" _Take my whole life too."_  Max's voice went quieter as well, and the two gazed at each other as the music began to come to its end.

" _For I can't help falling in love with you."_ Together, this time.

The song ended, and the two were left in peace, hearing nothing but the echoes of their thoughts and the reminder of a world outside of themselves.

Chloe's gaze flickered between Max's eyes and lips, asking.

It was Max who leaned forward against Chloe, her lips cool and soft, light like a handful of powdered snow, and it brought Chloe that same raw feeling of excitement in her chest when she would run down the stairs and open her presents; but, shit, when Max parted her lips and pressed up against her, just a little closer...No gift could compare to this.

She couldn't tell if it'd been a few seconds or a few hours but eventually Max pulled away, burying her face in Chloe's shoulder as she laughed, breathless.

"You really know how to make a girl feel special, huh?" Max asked, pulling her hands away from Chloe's and instead wrapping her arms around Chloe's torso.

Chloe hummed, pressing another kiss to the top of Max's head. "I try."

"What do we do now?"

"When do you have to go home?"

Max leaned away from Chloe, pulling her phone out. "Whenever, as long as I'm home by morning. We open presents then."

_All night to be together._

"I wouldn't mind doing some Christmas carols together," Chloe said, sliding her hand next to Max's and feeling comfort when their fingers fit between the other's so perfectly.

"In  _these_  sweaters, Chloe?" Max asked, pointing at her 'YES HOMO' sweatshirt and then gesturing to Chloe's 'HO HO HOMO' counterpart.

Chloe grinned, pulling Max back towards the edge of the rink. "Yeah. In these sweaters-so people know we're together."

Max tried covering the blush on her face by pulling up her scarf and looking away. Her voice came out muffled and quiet, but Chloe heard it all the same.

"I'm glad we are."


End file.
